[pct-l] Erik the Black's Maps: They're Excellent!!!

Tue Feb 1 00:27:03 CST 2011

I purchased Erik's books online last year for my 2010 PCT Hike.
Ordered on Monday - received on Friday same week in Perth, Australia.

Bob B
Slow and Steady - PCT 2010

On 01/02/2011, at 1:15 PM, Jason Moores wrote:

> PITA,
> 
> I was rushed when I made my earlier post, on my way out the door for an
> afternoon walk. After I had hit send I realized that I had made a bold
> statement without backing it up with some proof/evidence. When I read your
> reply it gave me pause. Had I remembered my experience incorrectly? I
> decided to do a little research, prepared to retract my statement if I found
> that I was in error. Here's what I found:
> 
> Unlike your experience, I was billed on Jan. 16th for my purchase, three
> months before receiving my first book. The web-site claimed that it was a
> finished product, at the printer. When I placed my order, Eric's site stated
> a delivery date of mid March for the first two books and no later than June
> 15th for the third. I then read on-line that there might be a delay on my
> delivery. I was leaving my home on April 8th so I sent an e-mail requesting
> more info. Then on Feb. 17th I received this e-mail(in part):
> 
> Hi Jason,
> I’m about 99% certain that books 1 and 2 will be to you before April 8th.
> Right now I am aiming for sometime between March 15 – April 1. I should have
> a more concrete date in about two weeks. I am aiming for between June 1 –
> June 15 for Volumes 3, 4 and 5, so they will definitely be ready long before
> you get to Tahoe, if you are thru-hiking northbound.
> 
> Eric was unable to meet this deadline and I was forced to print a pdf. file,
> from Campo to Idyllwild, on my own dime and time without refund or much of
> an apology.
> 
> As to my claim that Eric was using "early sales" to finance the printing of
> the books: While I have no concrete proof of this action, and maybe should
> have used restraint when making this comment, I personally felt that this is
> what occurred. Below is two parts of an e-mail that I received while on the
> trail. Take note of the date and Eric's own words regarding the fact that
> the books were incomplete and not at the printer:
> 
> To: jmmoores at hotmail.com
> From: orders at pctatlas.com
> Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 15:26:18 -0400
> Subject: PCT Atlas Vol 3 & 5 Shipping Update
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Sorry for the lack of updates lately. If you emailed me in the last
> week or so and I haven't responded I apologize. I have been working
> seven days a week on the Atlas and I just now got a free moment.
> 
> So, here's the latest:
> 
> Volume 5 (Washington) is done and being printed right now. Volume 3
> (Northern California) will be done and sent to the printer by the
> end of this week. I expect to have Volume 5 in-stock around June
> 20th, and Volume 3 in-stock around July 1st.
> 
> I won't know the exact date to expect them until the printing
> company notifies me that they are finished and on the UPS truck,
> but that is my best estimate. As soon as I know more, I will let
> you know.
> 
> I'm working my way "from the outside in" to accommodate both
> northbound and southbound thru hikers, so Volume 4 (Oregon) will be
> pulling up the rear. I am hoping to get that one in by July 15th.
> 
> ####and further on into the e-mail:####
> 
> If you need any other section aside from the northern part of
> Washington or the southern part of Northern California, email me and
> I will see what I can do. I can't make any promises and I won't be
> able to get to it until the first week of June. If you need
> anything before then you are on your own.
> 
> For the next week, I will be incommunicado. I have to concentrate
> on getting these books done and eliminate the distractions. If you
> email me, I will read it and file it for later, but I will not
> respond.
> 
> If you are on the trail right now I hope you are having a great
> hike! You can rest assured that I am working hard to get you the
> info you need before you need it.
> 
> Happy Trails!
> Erik the Black
> 
> Due to a serries of unplanned events on the trail, I was in Tahoe on June
> 15th and then again on the 30th. NO ATLAS! Of course, I had been warned but
> was hopeful that he may have heeded my e-mail request for an early copy or
> at least a pdf. like I used for the first 200 miles. I received 0 response
> to this request and was left with his previous words: you are on your own.
> 
> Now this is not proof that he was using my money to fund his project, but it
> also removes the blame from the printer. In the six months before demanding
> a refund for the balance of my order, I received countless updates like this
> one explaining that he was still working on the books! Six Months After he
> placed them on sale! People can draw their own conclusions. At the same time
> I received countless e-mails from his site claiming such things as: "Only 50
> copies left! Buy now! - Time is running out!- Only 15 copies left at the
> discounted price! Only one printing for 2009! and so forth. He hadn't even
> finished the books! Again, people can draw their own conclusions.
> 
> I'll say it again: SHADY
> 
> Jackass
> 
> 
> On Mon, Jan 31, 2011 at 5:24 PM, <enyapjr at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
>> from Jackass:
>>> ...  I had issues with: cost, accuracy and quality of the maps
>>> when shrunk to fit the size of the book. I also found Eric to be rude
>> when I
>>> met him at the K.O. and his ticking clock sales tactics/ using early
>> order
>>> money to finance the printing of the books(which arrived weeks later than
>>> promised) shady.
>> 
>> I also bought the set in '09, but I was not "charged" until they shipped -
>> so he
>> wasn't using "early order money to finance printing" IMHO...  If nothing
>> else,
>> an early-order system would allow him to guesstimate the printing run
>> quantity...
>> He did have somewhat of a problem with the printing outfit doing the
>> relatively
>> small runs & (not) delivering on their initial 'promise' dates - but like
>> many
>> businesses, they opted to fill much larger orders first by pushing his
>> out...  We,
>> the PCT thru 'audience', afterall, are a miniscule group - each "one in a
>> million".
>> 
>> As for accuracy, Erik's maps are more than sufficient - if you want to
>> count every
>> switchback going up to Forester Pass, then, yes, they are 'lacking' (but
>> that is
>> due mostly due to the map 'scale' - same as a state highway map can't show
>> every
>> bend in a road or highway)...
>> One won't get lost (or should I say one "shouldn't" get lost) using Erik's
>> maps...
>> 
>> For me, Erik's PCT Atlas set is the 'perfect' compromise - very compact,
>> lightweight,
>> and with sufficient data points & info that I wouldn't 'need' to carry any
>> other
>> 'guide' material whatsoever - but, of course, I've already done my
>> 'homework' ahead
>> of time, too (read WP guides, downloaded Halfmile's maps, made a Google
>> Earth trace
>> with Halfmile's data before he did(!), just bought Ancient Brit's guide,
>> studied
>> Postholer's Data Book, etc., etc.)...
>> 
>> To each his own, the usual YMMV, HYOH, yada yada...
>> 
>> Happy trails!!!
>> Jim (PITA)
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